If you want to be successful in the world of business then the first key aspect that
you need to make sure you follow is to maintain appropriate communication with your clients. There are a number of ways in which you can do this, with the key aspect being the telephone. Verbal communication is a key ingredient to a successful and productive working relationship. Sometimes the written word can be misinterpreted and the last thing that you want to happen between you and your clients is the chance for there to be a misunderstanding.
Another key aspect of keeping a good working relationship with your clients is to maintain efficient working records. There is no quicker way to disgruntle your clientele than presenting them with incorrect or out of date data. If a client pays you for a service, then they expect that package to be maintained to the highest standards. Thankfully for companies there are now a number of packages available via the internet that will enable companies to manage their client interaction more efficiently. This software is called CRM software.
So what is CRM software and what does it do? CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management and what this software does is to provide companies with a quick and efficient way of managing all of their client data into one manageable fully searchable database. Most of these packages allow you to pick and manipulate what fields you wish to utilise on the client page. Generally these include things like the customers main contacts, address, telephone number, fax number and a notes section. In the notes section companies can add additional notes about telephone or email conversations with the client.
Some CRM software packages allow you the opportunity to integrate really complex packages together, connecting your existing telephone systems to the database. When this is achieved incoming telephone calls to the company will initiate the database to open on the users screen. This enables companies and employees to be pro-active rather than re-active. The moment that a phone call comes into the company the employee will have a list of recent activity with the company displayed on their screen from the CRM software that will enable them to provide the customer with a first class level of service.
So the question that you need to ask yourself is if you are not currently running a CRM software solution within your company can you afford to not be pro-active in 2010 and will your clients keep accepting a re-active rather than pro-active service?